NEW YORK—On Tuesday, November 9, Hyatt hotel housekeepers in eight cities across the United States filed injury complaints with OSHA, reporting repetitive motion and other kinds of injuries sustained on the job. The multi-city filing at 12 Hyatt properties that employ more than 3,500 workers is the first of its kind in the private sector. A major peer-reviewed study of hotel worker injuries at 50 U.S. hotels operated by the five largest U.S. hotel companies was published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine (AJIM) a year ago. (See study.) By company, housekeepers working at Hyatt hotels in the...

OTTAWA, ONT.—More than 95 percent of consumer products claiming to be green are committing at least one of the “sins” of greenwashing, according to The Sins of Greenwashing: Home and Family Edition, released last month by TerraChoice, a leading North American environmental marketing company and part of Underwriters Laboratories’ global network. The study also finds big box retailers stock more “green” products and more products that provide legitimate environmental certifications than smaller “green” boutique-style stores. Greenwashing is defined as the act of misleading consumers about the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or...

PASADENA, CALIF.—Because of its commitment to sustainability, the expanded Pasadena Convention Center has been awarded LEED Gold certification, making it one of only three U.S. convention centers to earn the prestigious Gold designation. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute, is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance buildings.  “We are proud to be one of the greenest convention centers in North America,” said Pasadena Center Operating Company CEO Michael Ross. “It is enticing to our clients,...

TALLAHASSEE, FLA.—Florida volunteer organizations and beach lovers across the state participated in the Great VISIT FLORIDA Beach Walk this past Saturday, November 6. More than 2,000 individuals and teams participated across Florida’s 34 beach counties and 825 miles of beaches. The beach walkers photographed, video recorded and Tweeted virtually every mile of Florida’s coastline, six months after the oil spill. The statewide Beach Walk and photo fest was done to show the world that Florida’s 825 miles of beaches are as clean as ever, in photos uploaded in real time to the Internet by volunteers who walked or paddled and...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) opened up the proposed update to the LEED green building rating system for its first public comment. The public comment period, which will close on December 31, 2010, is the next step in the continuous improvement process and the ongoing development cycle of the LEED program.  “Continuous improvement of LEED is in the DNA of USGBC and its regular evolution is necessary to continue to move market transformation forward.” said Scot Horst, senior vice president of LEED, USGBC. “As green building expertise advances and practice evolves, so does LEED, providing innovative solutions...

VICTORIA, B.C.—When the Parkside Victoria Resort & Spa is awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification—its application is in the final stages—it will be one of just three lodging facilities in North America to earn the Platinum honor. The other ones include the Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, N.C., and the Bardessono in Yountville, Calif. The 126-suite, two-tower property in Victoria, British Columbia was built to be approximately 50 to 60 percent more energy efficient than the Model National Energy Code for Buildings. According to Jim Pearson, CEO of Aviawest Resort Group, the developer and manager of...

CONCORD, N.H.—The New Hampshire Sustainable Lodging & Restaurant Program will hold its annual Sustainable Hospitality Conference on Tuesday, November 16 at the Attitash Grand Summit Conference Center in Bartlett. The morning’s sessions will focus on savings through energy efficiency and renewables. Stacy Doll, formerly the head of the Mount Washington Resort’s Green Team and now the coordinator of the New Hampshire Energy Collaborative will open the conference with a talk about what the New Hampshire Climate Action Plan means to hospitality businesses. A panel of leaders from the industry will talk about their efforts to improve energy efficiency and use...

MILWAUKEE, WIS.—A practical, real-world guide designed to expand water conservation efforts inside and outside of today’s facilities was released. The IFMA Foundation and the Alliance for Sustainable Built Environments (ASBE) produced the white paper titled, “A Comprehensive Guide to Water Conservation: The Bottom Line Impacts, Challenges and Rewards.” The guide is available free of charge and provides an overview of  key areas in water conservation, covering: domestic water use including restrooms, hot water consumption and water reclamation; process water use including cooling towers and laundry facilities; rainwater harvesting with a description of harvesting techniques and applications for water reuse;...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its list of the top 50 organizations using the most renewable electricity. The Green Power Partnership’s top purchasers use more than 12 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the electricity use of more than 1 million average American homes. Green power is generated from renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, and low-impact hydropower. Hilton Worldwide is the only lodging-related company in the top 50 at No. 37. Twenty-nine percent of Hilton’s power purchases are for green power. The Intel...

LINTHICUM, M.D.—Baltimore’s TownePlace Suites by Marriott Hotel at BWI Airport is the first LEED for Existing Buildings Gold certified green hotel in the state of Maryland. Significantly, it is also the first existing hotel in Marriott’s 3,400-hotel portfolio worldwide to be so recognized. To celebrate this milestone, the BWI extended-stay hotel “put on the green” with a showcase designed to help the public understand how easy it is to be green in their own homes. On September 30, the TownePlace Suites offered an exclusive preview of its innovative environmental practices. From green cleaning in guestrooms to composting all of its...